Speaking of sports, I’ve enjoyed watching Aaron Rodgers guest host Jeopardy!, but I don’t see him as a successor to Alex Trebek (a job he has said he’s interested in) because, oddly, he’s as uninspiring with the contestant interviews as Trebek was.
Small talk is a small part of the job, taking up only a few minutes of every show, but it’s the one moment when the contestants’, and the host’s, personalities are allowed to shine through. Trebek, despite decades at the helm, never mastered the art of host-contestant conversation, closing countless exchanges with a hapless “good for you.”
Rodgers’ problem is that he’s a famous athlete, which creates an insurmountable imbalance in the nature of his exchanges. He oozes charm but, because of our celebrity culture, he lacks the common touch. Talking with contestants he seems to be going through the motions; his closing of “fantastic” is simply a younger man’s alternative to “good for you.”
Rodgers has said that he studied old shows to learn how to host, but a talent for connection, and a genuine curiosity, are things that cannot be taught. Ken Jennings has both, being neither a pampered celebrity nor a slick professional. His exchanges with contestants were lively conversations rich in humor and – something new to Jeopardy!, and rare to television – repartee. Thank you, Ken.
